Canada’s economy is rollin’ right now.
In the last quarter of 2017, the Canadian economy added 174,000 new jobs to the mix – the largest gain in 15 years. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, currently sits at just 5.4 per cent.
And it’s not just major cities propelling Canada to new economic heights. According to the Bank of Montreal’s most recent annual Regional Labour Market Report Card, many cities from coast to coast are boasting record-setting growth.
BMO’s analysis ranks Canadian cities based on their year-over-year employment growth, with cities from seven provinces represented in the top 10. So, where is Canada’s most promising job market at the moment? That honour belongs to Moncton, New Brunswick, a city of 72,000 that scored last in last year’s edition of the report card.
Here are the 10 best cities in Canada to score a job right now:
10. Halifax, N.S.
Last year’s ranking: 14
Jobless rate: 6%
Employment growth over the past year: 3.6%
9. Edmonton, Alberta
Last year’s ranking: 31
Jobless rate: 6.7%
Employment growth over the past year: 0.6%
8. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Last year’s ranking: 21
Jobless rate: 6.5%
Employment growth over the past year: 1.4%
7. Quebec City, Quebec
Last year’s ranking: 6
Jobless rate: 3.6%
Employment growth over the past year: 2.3%
6. Toronto, Ontario
Last year’s ranking: 16
Jobless rate: 5.8%
Employment growth over the past year: 3.2%
5. Kelowna, B.C.
Last year’s ranking: 2
Jobless rate: 5.2%
Employment growth over the past year: 4.5%
4. Vancouver, B.C.
Last year’s ranking: 7
Jobless rate: 4.0%
Employment growth over the past year: 4.7%
3. Oshawa, Ontario
Last year’s ranking: 19
Jobless rate: 4.5%
Employment growth over the past year: 3.3%
2. Abbotsford, B.C.
Last year’s ranking: 9
Jobless rate: 4.0%
Employment growth over the past year: 2.9%
1. Moncton, New Brunswick
Last year’s ranking: 33
Jobless rate: 5.7%
Employment growth over the past year: 9.9%
It’s not all rosy, of course, Here are Canada’s five least promising cities for job prospects (in order from 5th worst to worst):
5: Sudbury, Ontario
Ranking: 29th, same as last year
Jobless rate: 6.8%
Employment growth over the past year: -1.2%
4. Barrie, Ontario
Jobless rate: 8.8%
Employment growth over the past year: 2.3%
3. Brantford, Ontario
Jobless rate: 6.7%
Employment growth over the past year: -2.2%
2. St. John’s, Newfoundland
Jobless rate: 8.6%
Employment growth over the past year: -4%
- 1. Saint John, N.B.
Jobless rate: 6.9%
Employment growth over the past year: -10.4%
